Like KU, Texas Tech fans are known as one of the most passionate fan bases in the country. They consistently fill the stands for sports beyond just football, and hold on to nostalgic traditions that carry deep sentimental value.
One of these traditions is fans throwing tortillas into the air during the opening kickoff, and occasionally during other exciting moments in the game. Although the practice was technically banned before the start of the season, many fans still manage to make it happen. Tortillas are generally pretty harmless, that is, when they're just tortillas.
During last Saturday's contest at Texas Tech, things got hectic in the crowd, and chaos spilled onto the sideline. Apparently, during an exciting play in the third quarter, some fans began throwing other objects in an attempt to blend in with the flying tortillas. One of those items allegedly included a pocketknife, which struck a Kansas football staff member.
Kansas head coach Lance Leipold was visibly furious during his postgame handshake with Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire, upset that someone could have been hurt by the pocketknife incident. His frustration carried into the animated press conference. However, the Big 12 Conference deemed his comments "disparaging" and issued a $25,000 fine.
Leipold questioned the "safety" of playing in Lubbock. In response, Texas Tech submitted video footage to the conference, which primarily showed that the knife was first seen being dropped by a Kansas staff member. It was then picked up at the same spot by a KU player and ultimately handed to another staff member on the Kansas sideline. This sequence made it impossible to determine whether the knife actually originated from the crowd.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark stated that Leipold's postgame comments "questioned the integrity and professionalism of both the conference and a member institution (Texas Tech)." In addition to Leipold's fine, Yormark also fined Texas Tech $25,000, stating that "Texas Tech did not take sufficient steps to prevent and deter the repeated throwing of objects onto the field and team bench areas."
Leipold responded by thanking the conference for its efforts in reviewing the events that occurred. He then said, "I accept their findings and ultimate ruling. I had an emotional reaction in the aftermath of the game and acknowledge that I need to be better. We are excited to move forward and finish our season strong."
Nobody expected such an obscure story to emerge after last Saturday night. Following an emotional and physical stretch of games, could this be something that fuels Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks in the Sunflower Showdown and beyond?
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